Secret History of the Dynasties

Ordinary people could not buy it. Only Constable Chiefs of the Soul-Calming Office and those of higher rank received a monthly allotment.

Yang Feng was willing to spare a bottle for Lin Qing, which showed just how pleased he was with him.

But envy was one thing. Yu Qiuyu and the others felt no jealousy, much less resentment, because Lin Qing's Talent truly stood far above everyone else's.

Besides, over the past two months, Lin Qing had earned their respect. He was loyal, dependable, and hardworking. It was only natural that Yang Feng recognized and favored him.

"Your foundation in Saber Art is exceptionally solid now. What you lack is real combat experience. Starting tomorrow, I'll arrange a sparring match for you every seven days. Keep that up for three to five months, and your fighting ability will improve enormously," Yang Feng said after some thought.

"Okay."

Yang Feng asked a few more questions, then turned and left. Yu Qiuyu and the others immediately crowded around.

"Lin Qing, how did you train? How did you get so good so fast?"

"Yeah, Brother Lin, is there some trick to it? Tell us. If it works, we'll cover your meals for a month!"

"Exactly!"

Lin Qing looked at the curious, eager faces around him, unsure how to explain. He could only cup his fists and say, "Brothers, I just practice hard every day. There's no special trick. If there's anything you don't understand, come ask me. I'll do my best to answer."

Hearing this, Yu Qiuyu and the others understood. Some things could not be taught; the gap lay in Talent.

"Forget it. If we haven't got the Talent, we haven't got it. Why make life hard for ourselves? Let's go drinking tonight—my treat!" called a burly man with a booming voice and a full beard. His name was Old Wei, the oldest of the Constables among the Corpse Collectors. He was hearty and easy to get along with.

"Sounds good!"

"I'm in!"

Five or six more days passed in the blink of an eye.

At the Martial Arts Arena.

Old Wei and a few others sat around a stone table beneath a pavilion, drinking.

Yu Qiuyu strode over. "Old Wei, where's Lin Qing?"

"He was practicing here just a moment ago." Old Wei looked around. It was noon, and the Martial Arts Arena stood empty.

"Brother Lin went to read. Ever since the chief told him to balance exertion with rest, he's spent an hour reading every day," said the man opposite Old Wei. His name was Cao Tian. He was in his thirties, spoke with a slight stutter, and was a hopeless drunk.

"Then we'll wait." Yu Qiuyu nodded and sat on a stone stool nearby.

At that moment, Lin Qing was sitting in a bamboo chair outside the Library Pavilion, reading Miscellaneous Notes from Cloud Grove Hall. It sounded like a book of assorted anecdotes, but much of it covered the history of the Great Yuan Dynasty.

"Great Yuan was founded over eighteen hundred years ago. Yuan Taizu was born on the northern grasslands, the child of a minor tribal chief..."

"Later, his tribe was destroyed. Yuan Taizu was captured and became a groom for a rival tribe, a position he held for eight full years..."

"When chaos swept the realm, Yuan Taizu gathered followers and rose in rebellion. He spent fifty-six years unifying the land. His dynasty has endured to this day under the name Yuan..."

Lin Qing did not know whether the story was true, but storytellers in the teahouses told it the same way. From lowly groom to founding emperor, Yuan Taizu's legendary tale was told in every street and alley. Everyone knew it.

He kept turning the pages. The book also recorded many strange tales, each more mysterious than the last.

"Nineteen hundred years ago, the Great Xia Dynasty flourished. Then, within a mere century, it declined at a startling pace. The realm fell into chaos, and heroes vied for supremacy..."

"Legend has it that several visitors from beyond the heavens descended upon this world. Each possessed terrifying power. A battle that shook the world erupted in the Great Xia Royal Capital, and the dynasty's fall began there..."

"Legend has it that Yuan Taizu was born with a strange feature: a heavenly eye upon his brow. When it opened and closed, it killed without leaving a trace..."

The many mysterious accounts captured Lin Qing's interest. He became so absorbed that, before he knew it, he had read the book from beginning to end.

"Lin, lad, your hour is up."

An aged voice drifted over from nearby, breaking his train of thought.

Lin Qing closed the book and rose to approach an old man not far away. The man had the bearing of an immortal, with white hair and a youthful face. Though his hair was entirely white, his skin was smooth and fine. The first time Lin Qing saw him, he had been awestruck, unable to gauge the man's martial cultivation at all.

Standing before him, Lin Qing felt not the slightest pressure. Yet Yang Feng had said the old man was no ordinary person. He had supposedly once been an imperial physician. Now old, he had returned to his hometown, hoping to fall like a leaf back to its roots. Even Yang Feng could not gauge the depths of his ability.

For that reason, Lin Qing did not dare underestimate him in the slightest.

Each time Lin Qing had visited these past few days, he had brought the old man a grilled fish. He had specifically asked around and learned that the old man had only two interests: eating fish and fishing.

At that moment, the old man sat cross-legged on a smooth, gray-white boulder facing a quiet little pool, casting his fishing rod again and again.

After several visits, the two had grown much more familiar. The old man had also learned Lin Qing's routine: he came to read for an hour each day and left promptly when his time was up.

Today, however, the hour had passed while Lin Qing was lost in his book. He had not noticed the time, so the old man had reminded him.

"Elder Yun, are the strange stories in this book true?" Lin Qing asked curiously. The old man's name was Yun Tianxing, and he managed the Soul-Calming Office's Library Pavilion.

Yun Tianxing glanced at the book in Lin Qing's hand. "Young people shouldn't go poking their noses into everything."

"I'm curious, that's all. The things in this book are so outlandish—visitors from beyond the heavens, a heavenly eye on someone's brow." Lin Qing smiled.

He read to better understand this world. And here stood an elderly former imperial physician who had returned from the Imperial Capital, quite possibly the most knowledgeable expert in this small county. So Lin Qing seized every chance to ask questions, whether the answers would help him now or not.

Yun Tianxing also enjoyed teaching. He usually answered Lin Qing's questions patiently. Now he stroked his beard and once again could not resist.

"The heavenly eye on the brow is real. Every member of the imperial family has three eyes. As for visitors from beyond the heavens? I don't know whether that's true. But there's a rumor among the people that today's martial arts system, founded on internal force, actually came from beyond the heavens. Perhaps it isn't smoke without fire," Yun Tianxing said thoughtfully.

"If it's true, where are those visitors now?" Lin Qing pressed.

"Mm, I couldn't tell you. But there's another rumor in the Imperial Capital: those people all died and left behind several great tombs containing martial arts legacies from beyond the heavens. Whoever obtains one might transform into a dragon and ascend. Of course, rumors like that are a mix of truth and falsehood. No one can verify them. They're just something to listen to for fun." Yun Tianxing shook his head and turned his attention back to the quiet little pool.

Seeing that the old man was growing impatient, Lin Qing asked no more.

He walked to the four-story bamboo building ahead, returned the book to a shelf on the fourth floor, then headed back to the Corpse Collectors' courtyard.

He had barely stepped through the gate when he heard Yu Qiuyu calling for him.

"Lin Qing, you're finally back. Come with me!"

"What is it?" Lin Qing asked.

Yu Qiuyu strode over. "Didn't the Constable Chief say he'd arrange a real combat match for you every seven days? I'm taking you somewhere today."

Yu Qiuyu started toward the gate. After a moment's thought, Lin Qing followed.

They went out, rounded several corners, and walked along a few bluestone paths. Before long, they reached another small courtyard nearby.

A raised platform stood at the center of the courtyard, where two people were sparring. Barehanded, they darted and pivoted across the platform. Fists and feet collided in a string of dull thuds, while dozens of spectators watched from around the platform and burst into cheers from time to time.